1. Field of the Invention
Applicant's invention relates to apparatuses used to facilitate physical conditioning of the human body or specified portions thereof.
2. Background Information
The recent emergence of exercise devices which are designed to target specific body regions (the abdomen, the back, the buttocks, etc.) reflect the fact that no single exercise device will suffice for toning all areas of the body which people tend to target through exercise.
Toning and shaping the calf muscles is one activity for which there remains a need for an optimal exercise apparatus. There are a number of activities in which a person may participate for toning and shaping the calf muscles. These include simple toe lifts on a flat surface, extended toe lifts while facing a stair with one's heels extending beyond the edge of the stair, and bicycle riding. In the case of calf conditioning through flat-surface toe lifts, progress is very slow, impeded by the limited range of motion permitted by the flat surface. Many things potentially stand in the way of using bicycle riding to condition calves--availability of a bicycle, weather, lack of a safe area to ride, etc. Furthermore, bicycle riding does not promote a full range of motion for the calf muscles and is, therefore, an inferior form of exercise in the specific context of calf muscle toning and shaping.
Safety and/or comfort are issues negatively reflecting on calf conditioning through extended toe lifts performed on a stair-edge. If one stands bare or sock-footed on a stair-edge, the narrowly focused pressure of the edge of the stair on the arch area of the foot can be quite painful, particularly during the extension phase of the toe lift. Conversely, wearing a shoe may help in alleviating discomfort, but increases the quite dangerous probability of slipping from the stair(s) with a resulting potentially serious injury.
Other considerations bearing on the design of an exercise device relate to convenience in moving from storage to use environment, size and weight, transportability (for users who are business travelers, for example), and mechanical simplicity and reliability.
The present inventor is unaware of any device which provides both safe and highly effective calf muscle toning and shaping, is compact, is easily transported, is mechanically simple, and inexpensive to manufacture (and, presumably, to purchase).
In view of the above, it would be desirable to provide the public with a calf exercise device which satisfied each of the characteristics of: (1) providing safe and effective calf muscle conditioning and shaping; (2) being small and lightweight for easy handling and transportation; and (3) being of simplistic design for affording cost effective manufacture and desirable purchase price factors.